News from Council - 17 December 2025

The General Optical Council (GOC) held its final Council meeting of the year on 17 December 2025.

Registration fees for 2026-27 agreed

Council approved a £10 increase (approx. 2.5%) to the main fee for optometrists and dispensing opticians for the 2026/27 registration period, rising to £425. The fees for optical students (£30) and for those on low incomes (£290) will be frozen at last year’s rates.

The GOC is committed to achieving greater operational efficiency and value for money, having downsized to a more cost-effective office and enhanced its in-house legal and advocacy expertise to reduce expenditure on external legal fees in the past year. These changes have allowed the GOC to keep the increase to the main registration fee below inflation (November 2025 CPI rate of 3.5%) and to freeze the fees for students and those on low incomes.

Testing of sight

Council considered the findings of research analysing the impacts of separating the sight test by time, place, and/or person, and discussed emerging proposals to revise the GOC’s 2013 statement on testing of sight and supervision standard.

Two areas of practice were considered: delegation of pre-screening or triage checks within the sight test, and emerging sight test models that incorporate teleoptometry.

To improve the evidence base, the GOC commissioned an academic team led by Glasgow Caledonian University to conduct a scoping review and Delphi study on these issues.

The scoping review highlighted the potential benefits arising from models of eye care involving separation to improve delivery through innovation, but acknowledged the lack of data and evidence base to fully assess its impacts. The Delphi study did not reach a consensus on whether separating eye care components might be safe for patients considered low risk, but found broad agreement that it was not clinically appropriate for patients from higher-risk groups.

Council acknowledged the complexity of the issues, and the challenge of balancing the benefits and risks of new models of eye care in a rapidly changing landscape. The importance of communication and consent were emphasised and Council heard that remote sight testing models would not be suitable for some groups of patients.

The GOC has begun developing revisions to the 2013 statement to reflect changes to sight testing models that are already happening, including through a stakeholder event held in October where a set of high-level principles on updates to the statement were tested. It will continue this work in the new year, ahead of seeking Council approval on a public consultation at its next meeting in March 2026.

CPD Reform: Consultation on new proposals approved

Council approved a consultation on proposals for CPD reform, to launch in early 2026. The consultation presents a phased approach to reform, with a long-term vision that requires legislative change sitting alongside the short-term changes possible for the 2028-30 CPD cycle. Its proposals fall into three broad groups:

• Maximising opportunities for registrants to design their CPD approach: moving away from a minimum points-based system and prescribed learning formats towards an outcomes-based approach that sets broad expectations for registrants.
• Leveraging the role of business registrants: holding closer relationships with registrants, employers are better placed to support optical professionals in identifying and progressing their learning and development needs. The GOC would review its Standards for Optical Businesses to underpin this changed role.
• Ending CPD provider approval and audit: the GOC is the only healthcare regulator to approve and audit CPD providers and considers this function no longer necessary for public protection reasons.

Council highlighted how taking an evolutionary approach to CPD reform could support strengthening a learning culture among registrants. It also praised how the proposed changes better encompassed the diversity of career paths now available to optical professionals, particularly those working in non-patient facing roles.

EDI Policy approved

Council approved a new Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Policy, which combines policy and guidance previously spread across different documents into a clear and consistent statement of the GOC’s EDI commitments both as a regulator and an employer.

The standalone policy demonstrates the GOC’s commitment to going beyond compliance, setting practical expectations and embedding inclusion into everyday practice. It strengthens previous policies’ language, defines and illustrates different forms of discrimination and harassment to support understanding, and outlines clear responsibilities for all staff across the GOC. Council discussion emphasised that the policy is vital, not just for individual protection, but to fulfil the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services.

New guidance on maintaining sexual boundaries and care of patients in vulnerable circumstances approved

Council approved two new pieces of guidance and the response to the GOC’s consultation on these. In response to consultation feedback, the GOC revised areas in both pieces of guidance to improve clarity and ensure the correct emphasis. Key changes included clarifying that adjustments to meet the needs of patients in vulnerable circumstances are not ‘reasonable adjustments’, being required by law, and reaffirming that all instances of sexual misconduct are serious. The consultation response and new guidance pieces will be published shortly.